The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-01
MONSIEUR LIE CURE.

l met the Cure one evening as / was re-
turning home from the woods, where had
been sketching. The fine old man was stand
ing on the doorstep OF the presbytere, look
ing towards the sea, which at that moment
was glorious beneath the setting sun. l
bowed to him as / passed, for his presence
had always inspired me with sympathy and
respect, and knew how much this tribute
from a foreigner would crafty member of
that class which the republican government
is bringing into disreSpect by constant per-
secutions.
He returned my salute with such kindly
courtesy that ] took the opportunity,
which had long desired, of speaking to
him.
"a lovely sight, Monsieur lie Cure" 1 said
pointing to the sea.
SIT is indeed, Monsieur" he answered,
without looking around.
After awhile he added:
at is such sights that reconcile one to this
earth. And yet j do not know; one has
always the bitter certainty that very
soon the night will come, when all will be
dark
sAnd, en- attendant" I said, trying to
laugh away his evident melancholy, eff
do not pet home soon the night and her
darkness will come most certainly; and it's
a break-neck path to NV house.
but, Monsieur" saiu the Cure, "there is
no hurry. / heard from the village people
that Monsieur had expressed the desire to
visit our church. There is, indeed, little to
see, but if
swered.
II will get the key" he said, lead
ing me into his simple parlor, and bid
ding me sit down while he went upstairs to
fetch it,
The room was one of the poorest in point
of decoration and furniture that had seen
in any house in the village; and yet there
was one object which by its great beauty
compensated for all the unloveliness of the
rest. 1t was the picture of young woman
painted in oils, and signed by painter who
about thirty years ago had been at the sum
init of his art. The girl rel Hesented was
mot iacvely, and it seemed to me that her
face was one which had been the model of,
many other artists as famous as the one who.
had painted this portrait. A royalty ferain-
inc face, and here clothed with that express
sion of timidity, blushing and afraid, which
in some women is so sweet and so strongly
appeals to all that is noblest and most manly
IN man.
This was my first impression, but as
looked at it longer the timidity, from being
subjective merely, seemed to grow objective.
1Ns n was not a timid girl. it was a girl
lid. Her eyes seemed to look with hor-
for, on still closer observation, the fear
~ into horror, or something that was not
resented in the picture. How could it
eeeing that those fearful eyes were look
f. ri out of the plan, straight over my head,
stood facing her, at the wall behind
1 The picture was by far too fine work
e. aIt for one to suppose that any attempt
s..f,.
E&faordinary and theatrical mise eR-scene,
and felt it would be an insult to the great
painter to turn round and see if anything
was visible to explain the expression of those
eyes. Moreover, it was the expression that
held me, not the reason thereof. j am not
one of those who seek in every picture an
illustration
stood before it some time sadly envious
of the technique of the departed hand, and
wondering what angel hand, the angel
Raphael's perhaps, had guided the painters
fingers when he had mixed the color of
sun-kissed auburn that sung, and
colors sing, from those clustering curls,
of hair, when the Cure came back into the
room.
turned as ] heard his step, and as did
so my eyes fell on the wall ON which my
back had been turned. Directly opposite
the picture, and in the point of vision OF its
eyes hung rapier. As looked closer / saw
that the point of this sword was black, of
that iil-omened black that blood, long since
shed, does take.
/ almost felt angry Blood-stained rapier
or acknowledgement of some hobgoblm
ghoul or spectre, it annoyed me TO think
that any one should have ventured, with
the most vulgar taste Of melodramatic effect,
to complete what was already so sublimely
and perfectly complete. 1t was the act of a
bourgeois of the bourgeois, uneasy and dis
turbed if the Sevres china statuette of a
Vatican shepherdess on this side of his Louis
XIV. timepiece has not, on the yon side of it,
fronting her, as pendant, a iauguishing
Corydon.
My annoyance was so real that paid but
little attention to all that the Cure who
had now greatly sunk In my esteem, showed
me and told me. | vaguely remember that
he led me through churchyard, where, by
The grave Of his predecessor, he pointed out
the plot of ground where he was to rest
himself; that he told me that the church
was many hundred years old and had been
cans Le temps, the lodge of company of
Knights Templar, whose bodies lay shroud-
ed in stone sepulchres in a remote part of
the cemetery. The church was very unin-
teresting TO me in my preoccupation. There
were some fine Louis XII csndlesticlss in
massive copper on one of the affairs. The
LIRE had bought them from a dcnler in
old metals, TO whom an ignorant colleague
had sold them at the rate of ninepence Che
pound.
Then you have some taste"
thought, but that only makes it more in
excusable"
was examining these candlesticxs when
q peasant girl came up TO us, and with many
clumsy courtesies told NJ. lie Cure that his
supper had been served
She had motherly tone with the old man
TINS girl OF fifteen. and would not hear of
his showing me the vestry.
Ihat Will be for another day, " she said
The important thing is now that NJ. lie
Cure should not let that beautiful trout get
cold One has opened a bottle of Chablis TO
drink with IL, and there will be an omelette
au9 Hnes hcrbes and some peaches In the
second service
Sheseems very intelligent child = | said.
Is accompanied the Cure TO his door. SIS
she your seryantP